Secrets Among the Stars
Chapter 1 - Applebird Just as we were sitting down, looking at each other. Crowfeather rumbled in. He, being an elder now (he retired young due to an injured shoulder), never got forgiven in his clan. Never. Or so I've heard. I saw he was making small cuts all over his body. "What are you doing?" I asked. Kestrelflight looked just as confused. "Why are you doing that?" "It is time for me to go," Crowfeather mumbled, letting blood pour from his wounds. "Where?" I asked, looking around. Kestrelflight surpressed a laugh. "To StarClan, mousebrain." "I am not a-" I heard a low moaning sound. I padded over to Crowfeather's now-still body. I instantly felt guilty. "We should've done something." I said. Kestrelflight swiped his tongue over my ears. "I'll admit, one less insane cat in the Clan wouldn't hurt. But I'll miss him." "What?" "His mind was giving way, like so many other cats have done...." He stared at me for a moment, then added, "You weren't always a rogue, were you?" "No." That's right. I just said no. Foxdung, here come the questions... "What were you before that?" Phew. It wasn't a Why question. "I came from the Tribe of Rushing Water." "You were a mountian cat?" I was expecting him to ditch right away, but he seemed interested. "Prey-hunter or Cave-guard?" "Prey hunter." "Wow. This is perfect." We heard yowling. That meant that the gathering was beginning. Kestrelflight and I scrambled out of the bush quickly, and found the other medicine cats. Chapter 2 - Silverbrook I rolled my eyes. Why did Stonefur have to climb up the apple tree? It knocked an apple down to the cat left behind, and he scared a kestrel which left a feather to the cats behind. And they just so happened to land right next to each other. Toms. I'll admit, it was pretty darn clever to do that. Although I didn't know that there were kestrels in StarClan. I guess you really do learn something new everyday. Although I have known that there was prey up here. And it is always greenleaf, which I love. I was doing a little bit of exploring when I 'accidently' crashed into Stonefur. "I fail at stalking," he muttered. "Aren't part ThunderClan?" I teased. "Your point being....?" "They're the best at stalking undergrowth." He cuffed my ear. "You know that I like you, don't you?" "Yes, I do. How long did it take you to figure it out? 2 moons?" I laughed. "Guess so." "But it was obvious!" "Love at first sight, you mean?" "Maybe, maybe not. I'm not telling you." "Well you should." "Maybe later." "Why not now?" "'Cause I'm hungry, mouse-brain!" That was true. My stomach was growling. "Your stomach sounds like all of LionClan." "Really? Do you see hedgehogs flying?" "I suppose not." "Anyway would you like to watch the gathering? At least, after we get some prey..." "Sure." I was happy, but I noticed something strange: I couldn't see Applebird at the gathering. Nor Kestrelflight. Were they left at home? Suddenly Stonefur sweverd towards me. "You know your death?" I nodded. "Well it wasn't Onestar." "What?" "It was somebody else. I'm not telling you. It is a Secret among the Stars." Chapter 3 - Applebird The gathering was tense, despite having a plentiful greenleaf, everybody seem grumpy tonight. Even the moon looked dimmer. Clouds were hovering around it, but not touching it. "Greetings, Onestar." Reedstar dipped his head politely to the older leader. "Greetings." Onestar's mew was relaxed. I was also slightly confused; this looked nothing like the tom that murdered Silverbrook on that fateful day, two moons ago. "What are you staring at?" asked Flametail. "Nothing," I said quickly. "Are you sure?" "Yes, I'm sure." "Shhh!" came a hiss; one of the elders, I think it was Owlwhisker, but I wasn't sure. I silently watched the gathering, when suddenly seemingly everyone unsheathed their claws. "Furzestar should have not said that," murmed Kestrelflight. "She should not have brought up the prey stealing of ShadowClan." I was slightly confused, then remember some ShadowClan cats coming around the shore a few sunrises ago. Not a good idea. By now, the ShdowClan leader, a large ginger tom, Redstar, stood up. "We haven't stolen any prey," he boomed. "Oh really? Then why are your warriors not within two tail-lengths of the lake?" He looked at his warriors, then asked, "What did they look like?" "A dark grey cat and a ginger cat." "Scorchfur and Starlingcall?" Starlingcall's eyes grew wide. Then he hissed, "What would I ever do with a rabbit, let alone be doing on WindClan territory?" But Scorchfur looked away. "Maybe I did, maybe I didn't!" Chapter 4 - Silverbrook My eyes grew wide when he told me this, and then I nodded. I turned my attention to the gathering again. He suddenly dragged up a large fish. "You said you were hungry." It took a lot not dive into the meal. "Yes, I am." "Good. Then we can eat and watch the gathering." "Shhhh!" hissed a large grey she-cat named Yellowfang. Staring down, I saw a lot of cats unsheath their claws for two toms: Starlingcall and Scorchfur. Starlingcall protested, but Scorchfur hissed a stubborn reply. I instantly knew who was guilty, out of that pair. While I was waiting for some smart remark from Raggedstar, I felt something cuff my ear. "Don't blame him yet." I whirled around. Who else, but Stonefur? "Why do you say that?" "You have that look on your face. The same kind of look Mistystar has when she's angry at Shrewpaw." I snorted. "She's always angry with Shrewpaw." A ThunderClan cat, Speckletail, rounded on us. "Be quiet!" Stonefur rolled his eyes. "She's always like that," he muttered. I looked down again, only to see Blackstar knock Reedstar off the branch. I hissed automatically, defending my leader. "Calm down," murmed Stonefur. I wanted to claw his ears off, but it soon became apparent that I couldn't, for the following reasons: #I was in StarClan #Everybody was in my way So I had to settle for clawing Raggedstar's ears. And he settled for clawing mine. Chapter 5 - Applebird That was one of the best evenings I ever had, despite the hositlity of the Clans. I was almost sure Scorchfur was playing at something, but I wasn't completely sure. All I know is that Starlingcall was definately not at fault. I didn't know how Blackstar could be thinking that. Who else looked guilty? Shrewfoot didn't, that was for sure. After a little more thinking, I came up with an idea of who might be doing it. I suddenly realized it. How could he! The deputy, Rowanclaw. He was ginger, and he might be... Another thought popped into my head. What if they had the wrong pelt colors? What if it wasn't Scorchfur? After letting that thought settle in my head for a moment, I shook my head. No. He was up to something, but I don't know what. I bid my farewells to Kestrelflight and the others, and followed the clan back to camp. When I was settling down in my nest for the night, I heard a tiny mewl. I tasted the air. ThunderClan. What in StarClan....? Cautiously, I peered out into the "wall". My heart stopped. A tiny tortoiseshell was shivering outside. My eyes widened. Without truly thinking, I gently took the kit by it's scruff. It looked only two moons old. I put it down gently onto a nest. I turned around. I was padding out of the den when I tripped over a small ball of fur. I picked it up and continued to pad towards the leader's den. The kit was fidgeting in my mouth. I fought to hold on. As we reached the leader's den, I put the kit down. "Reedstar," I mewed. He padded out. "Why hello Applebird- Who is this?" he asked, flicking his tail at the kit. "I don't know," I admitted. "I just know that she was outside my den, mewing." Reedstar sniffed her carefully. "ThunderClan normally isn't the type to abandon kits. Unless she ran away..." He was interrupted by a squeak of disagreement. "... or not." Looking down at that kit, I realized the she didn't look anything like ThunderClan. I thought for a minute. Who does she look like? I asked myself. I knew the answer to that question almost as soon as I asked it. Reedstar. Chapter 6 - Silverbrook After sleeping and getting something to eat, I was directed to a border patrol. "What? You have border patrols up here?" I asked. Stonefur flicked my ear with his tail. "Yeah, to make sure those Dark Forest cats stay in their place." "I thought they couldn't escape," I blinked. They could get out? It was done once before, many generations ago, but not during times of peace... "Still, you never know," another cat padded up to us. She had a dark ginger pelt, so I guessed that she was Russetfur. I looked at her, and she added, "I'm leading the patrol. You coming?" I nodded, and followed her. This was going to be intresting. Category:Maplefern's Fanfictions